Bay Area cyclists, it seems, are riding without helmets. Horrors! At least according to a KCBS report that claims "[m]ore and more Bay Area bicyclists are riding without bike helmets, some because they think it's actually safer." There's some sort of "movement" among cyclists to ditch the helmets for safety reasons. One reason of safety? Some "anti-helmet advocates think drivers are more likely to steer clear of bikers who they see are not wearing headgear." Sounds like a good point. Also, bike messenger Kinto Fannin argues, "people fall down in the shower a lot and they don't make people wear helmets in the shower." A statement that could only be answered by Addison DeWitt thusly, "You have a point. An idiotic one, but a point."

But in the end, riding without a helmet makes one look "tougher," sleeker, and cooler. Less of a Walnut Creek dad doing his part to keep things green, and more like a sexy somebody who drinks cheap beer next to a porta-potty. Let's face it, the SF bike community is also an aesthetic one -- yes, in addition to doing God's work of removing one less car from Mother Earth, many cyclists have a look for which they're striving, which is a good thing -- but is ditching the helmet a safe thing to do? Do you prefer to ride with a naked head? Is this ridiculous? Let us know in the comments, cyclists.